A children’s ward nurse described as a “ray of sunshine” for alleviating parents’ worry with her caring attitude and the “biggest smile” is in line to scoop the 2016 Health Worker of the Year Award.

Jennie Davis, a staff nurse on the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s Dolphin and Lion ward, was nominated for the coveted Pride of Reading Award by mum Felicity Allaway, from Burghfield Common.

Mrs Allaway, 30, said: “My daughter has been admitted to the RBH seven times in the past six months, and each time Jennie is always there with the biggest smile, making a very worrying time that little bit easier.

“She always remembers my daughter and goes out of her way to come over and say hello and make a fuss of her. She is fantastic at her job and I always manage to sleep a little easier when Jennie is on night shift and allocated to my daughter.”

Mrs Allaway’s three-year-old daughter Alissa-Rose has suffered from chest infections and breathing difficulties for the last seven months, resulting in her being hospitalised several times.

“She has also been recently diagnosed with having epilepsy, and during all the uncertainty and difficult times, Jennie was like a little ray of sunshine, which somehow made me feel that everything would be okay,” said the mum-of-two.

“Alissa-Rose is my youngest of two children and, as you can imagine, being away from my five-year-old daughter Jorja-Grace so often and for so long has been difficult. [But] whenever Jorja-Grace visited [the hospital] and Jennie was on shift, Jennie would make a huge fuss of her and give her just as much attention as her younger sister, and it was so lovely.

Three-year-old Alissa-Rose Allaway, a regular patient on the Dolphin and Lion ward

“But I would also like to add that all of the nurses do an amazingly fantastic job on the wards and they were all very supportive but Jennie, to us, stood out the most, and will always have a special place in our mind and hearts.”

On being told of her Pride of Reading nomination, Miss Davis, 30, who has been staff nurse on the children’s inpatient ward for the last eight years, said: “I am in complete shock and so grateful. It’s completely unexpected.

"I love my job and feel so flattered that anyone would nominate me for Pride of Reading.

“The Allaway family are just so lovely and this proves it. I have looked after Felicity's daughter on many occasions and I’m really overwhelmed that she would nominate me.